Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Daresay

8/24/16 watercolor, colored pencils, ink, Zig marker
Ever since I got back from the UK, I’ve been seeing trees all over town that are starting to show hints of turning. They’re all still mostly green, yet leaves near the top are definitely going yellow-orange. I sketch this aspen a few blocks from my house every fall, and I know that in a few weeks it will be completely gold. Today it’s still got a lot of green left, but I was surprised to see how quickly it’s changing.

I daresay fall is coming. 

Technical note: Normally I would start a sketch like this with ink to give me some guidelines – the base of the traffic circle, the caution sign, the tree trunk and the general shape of the tree. This morning, on a whim, I decided to paint the tree first. Then I went in afterwards with colored pencils to draw the trunk, lower plants and other details. I like the effect of having fewer guidelines. What do you think?

2 comments:

  1. Trees around my usual routes are turning brown and loosing leaves. I fear they are dying from drought. Some are even bare.

    I do like the impression of fewer pen lines.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've seen a lot of those browned-out trees, too. This heat we've been having has taken its toll.

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